Signal transfer system, path control device, and signal transfer method

Abstract

A path control device controls a plurality of paths for transmitting signals through a network including a plurality of signal transfer devices that transfer signals while switching a first transmission period during which high-priority traffic can be transmitted and a second transmission period during which low-priority traffic can be transmitted. The path control device includes: a calculation unit that calculates a plurality of paths through which signals are transferred, based on network configuration information indicating a configuration of the network; an estimation unit that estimates paths for low-priority traffic so as to increase the number of low-priority traffic flows to be transferred during a predetermined period through the plurality of paths calculated by the calculation unit, in a case in which the plurality of signal transfer devices detect an end of high priority traffic in the first transmission period, in accordance with statistical values in the second transmission period based on a transmission schedule made to change the first transmission period after the end of high-priority traffic to the second transmission period; and a determination unit that determines, for each of the plurality of signal transfer devices, output destination setting information such that the paths estimated by the estimation unit are set to an output destination of low-priority traffic.